Mathematical Sciences - Colloquium

Big Sky Conference on Discrete Mathematics

Opening Address

The Impact of User Interfaces in Educational Software

Dr. Maria M. Klawe
Dean of Science, University of British Columbia

This talk describes research on how the choice of user interface influences the effectiveness of computer games in helping students aged 10 to 12 learn mathematical concepts. We present the results of recent studies from the E-GEMS (Electronic Games for Education in Math and Science) research project. The Super Tangrams study demonstrates the importance of the choice of interface manipulation style in a single player transformational geometry game, while the Builder study reveals the effect of task specification and communication mode in a networked two-person collaborative activity on area and perimeter.

This talk is sponsored by and presented as an element of The University of Montana President's Lecture Series. The Big Sky Conference is also sponsored by the National Science Foundation and the Department of Mathematical Sciences.

Thursday, 9 September 1999, 4:10-5:00pm, Contin Educ 204 (Treats in foyer of same)


Thursday, 9 September 1999
4:10-5:00 p.m. in Contin Educ 204
Coffee/Tea/Treats 3:30 p.m. in Floyer (of Contin Educ)

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